


Discarded Child

by Mayamelissa



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dumbledore is a fucking idiot in my opinion, Except maybe Hermione, Female Harry, Female Harry Potter, Gen, I'm trying not to bash anyone, Not Canon Compliant, Some nice things happen, after it had been almost killed by Voldemort, all night, and an asshole, and then people get killed, and then try to prevent them, bad things happen because people listen to prophesies, bad things have happened, bad things will still happen, because I said so, because people are stupid, briliant but an idiot, but by doing that they make them come true, but it still might happen, but still is kind of canon complaint, everybody is a year younger than Harry, fem!Harry Potter - Freeform, in novemeber, just left them there, on the front step, seriously, they're both twelve, you left a baby on the front porch of a house at night
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-01-23 14:32:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18551704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mayamelissa/pseuds/Mayamelissa
Summary: If one were to ask the little girl who resided at Number 4 Privet Drive what her name was, well she could only tell you it was Girl. Or Freak. Or You.





	1. Chapter 1

If one were to ask the little girl who resided at Number 4 Privet Drive what her name was, well she could only tell you it was Girl. Or Freak. Or You.

But then perhaps she would not. For you see she was not seen outside the house’s walls except very rarely and even then she did not talk to anyone as she had been ordered not to speak to anyone aside from Young Master Dudley, Madame Petunia, or Master Vernon.

Girl, as she would call herself (for out of all the titles given to her it was the most pleasant) did not think her situation was odd. How could she? It had been explained quite often and sometimes during many a discipline session that she had been discarded by her parents into the Dursley’s hands. Without the family’s kindness and rather large contribution made to the people who others would have called her parents, she might have ended up freezing to death during that winter or starving to death on the streets or any other number of horrible outcomes which Master Vernon, Madame Petunia, and even Lady Marge would helpfully educate her about.

After all: the world was not a kind place and to be a Discarded Child in it was an even unkinder station to find oneself in.

Returning to the subject of names, one would wonder how Girl would not know her own name. After all, surely her teachers or other adults of authority would tell her? However being as she was a Discarded Child and thus had no birth certificate or similar identifying papers, she was not permitted to attend school. School was for wanted children who had families or money or intelligence. Girl had none of those things because as a Discarded Child you were cursed to be forever without them. Girl was only good for cooking, cleaning, laundry and other work of the domestic kind. Even then the Dursleys would often explain how she lacked the ability to do it perfectly to remind her of her station.

So no. She did not go to school. She did not know how to read as Madame Petunia explained it wasn’t needed and Girl could easily identify the items she required by looking at them or smelling them. She did not know how to count higher than 10 because it was the highest number she needed to know. Girl had been very grateful when she had been permitted to learn how to count since she was certain things would have been far more difficult in her duties as caretaker if she had not known the skill. 

And she did not like making things difficult for the Dursleys.

If things were made too difficult for them to function, they may decide she wasn’t worth the considerable funds and energy the expended keeping her. Then it would be more prudent for all involved she be sent away. One did not keep a Discarded Child if said child did not make things easy for the ones who have saved them. No doubt she would be sent to someplace very horrible where they did worse than discipline her in order to correct her sometimes freakish ways.

Thus, to ensure her continued patronage and residence, Girl would work without complaint and do her best to make things pleasurable for the Masters and Madame of the House. She would stay mostly indoors though on occasion she would work in the garden to ensure Madame Petunia’s flowers were the envy of all the other houses on Privette Drive. She would do her best to cook the most delicious meals and keep the house spotless, though Girl must be careful to invoke self control. Because if it was too delicious or too clean or too much of anything then that would mean she’d been doing freakish things again and her ungrateful self was more than likely trying to harm the kind family who had taken her in.

This was the way it had been since she was brought to Number Four Privet Drive and thus it would be until Young Master Dudley grew up and got married and moved away. Then GIrl would take care of Master Vernon and Madame Petunia until they passed away. After which time she would go live and take care of no longer Young Master Dudley, his wife and their children.

Girl might have been stupid and ignorant (something the Dursleys told her often enough), but she knew that that was the plan destiny had for her. Discarded Children didn’t get to be married or fall in love or go out on their own and be independent. They didn’t own things. They didn’t get an education. They were born to serve. To obey. To make the lives of the people who had bought and paid for them as easy as possible and not cause trouble. That was how it was to be until the day she died and Girl accepted that because there was no other option. It was her fate. Her destiny. Her punishment for being a Discarded Child born to parents who had been “drunken freaks who weren’t fit for the earth and had died not to long in a car crash after selling her to the Dursleys for 100 Pounds and a bottle of Vernon’s best whiskey.”

It was quite unfortunate for Girl when on the day of Young Lord Dudley’s birth that someone decided her destiny needed to change.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Girl doesn't know who they are for or from but they are invasive and she hates them.

She thought perhaps it were a fancy invite: all high quality paper and a seal of wax at the back. Perhaps to a party where her Madame would wear her fanciest frock and best pearls. Master Vernon and Young Master Dudley would wear their best suits. She would have to make sure everything was ironed and pressed then. 

It was not as she suspected.

Whatever it was caused the adults to pale and go rigid. Whatever that was was not nice.

Then more arrived during the next few days and Master Vernon became more unsettled. Owl after owl and owl poured onto Privet Drive to hang outside Number 4. Each one staring at the house. Anticipating something. Madame Petunia couldn’t go out to her garden for there were so many of the birds.

Master Vernon had used his power tools to board up the mail slot as an attempt to block the offending pieces of paper.

They still came.

Girl watched as Master Vernon in the evenings burned the things that were left on the doorstep in the fireplace. He spotted her as he pushed one into the flames and gave her a very strange look. It almost looked like a smile but wasn’t and it made her even more uneasy.

She wished she could ask why they didn’t send them back or could they not contact the authorities. This was what could be considered harassment, was it not? Could her masters not find whoever was responsible and stop them?

But no. She could not say anything to them because she was only allowed to speak if they spoke to her first and asking questions would only cause more trouble.

So Girl kept her head down, mouth shut, and concentrated on keeping everything tidy and neat. Things were already tense enough that she didn’t want to do anything that might warrant discipline.

It all came to a head on Sunday when they all had gathered in the sitting room, Girl serving them tea and biscuits while Master Vernon went on and on about how nice that it was. 

“Sundays are the best days,” he declared. “Do you know why that is?”

No one responded so Girl decided to be the one to. “Because there’s no post, Ser?” as she held out the plate of the Durleys favorite tea time sweet.

“Exactly, Girl! No post. No letters to bother us. Nothing. We can all sit here in our lovely living room, completely unbothered from-”

Another one of those horrible letters floated down through the unlit chimney and into the living room.

It all grew quiet and it was as if time itself had paused

Then what could only be described as a pandemonium of those things burst inside the room, flooding it with the paper envelopes sealed with wax. They seemed to come from everywhere  and Master Vernon was shouting and Young Master Dudley was panicking while he clung to Madame Petunia who seemed just as panicked as her son.

Girl didn’t know what to do. There were so many of them, she thought the room would fill and they would drown in the things. It was too much. It was more trouble than anything she had caused before and it made her furious. “GO AWAY!” she screamed at the top of her lungs, so loudly her throat hurt. The sound seemed to reverberate around the house. The very molecules in the air itself seemed to still once more as it had before the onslaught of the letters. 

Then a peculiar thing happened.

All the letters disappeared just as suddenly as they had arrived. Even more so because they just vanished into nothingness.

She was quite certain that if her masters weren’t so caught up with the whole attack, that she would have been disciplined until she was black and blue that evening. As such she was only thrown into the cupboard and locked within its confines until the next day. She’d been dreadfully hungry by the next morning and smelled of urine and other things, but she hadn’t been beaten and for that she was grateful.

One must take their comforts where they can.

She barely had time to bathe and change into clean items before the whole group of them were in Master Vernon’s car with whatever they could carry and barrelling as far away from the house as possible, leaving the congregation of owls behind.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things do not go according to the preordained script.

The world had apparently gone quite mad and Girl could not help but know it was her fault. It must have been due to the fact Master Vernon kept ranting about freaks and their targeting them.  

She anticipated quite the beating after all this was done.

Right now of course there was getting to somewhere no one would find them. Young Master Dudley took up to complaining after an hour into the car ride, only stopping a few times when he felt like poking, prodding, hitting, or pulling Girl’s hair would assuage the boredom. As usual, she never cried or shouted out to stop him since it was his right to treat her how he wanted. 

It was how it was by placement of birth and she was beneath him in all respects.

They ended up hiding out in some kind of lighthouse surrounded by rocks and surging waters where it the only way to reach it was by boat. It was run down and filthy. But it did have running water and toilets and the basic of kitchen equipment. Girl overheard Master Vernon tell Madame Petunia that they would hide out a few days while better arrangements would be made.

No beating came that night for they were all too tired to do much of anything except eat already prepared food and Girl managed to snag extra helpings of table scraps since not much was consumed by the Dursleys that evening and Young master’s meal contained vegetables which he hated.

She could not sleep because of the wild storm outside in spite of everything so while the rest of her guardians were asleep, Girl sat in front of the fireplace and tended to it. It would not due to let the flames go out and Young Master Dudley get cold.

A great bashing shook the door at the stroke of midnight. The Dursleys scrambled awake to their feet with Young Master Dudley scrambling against the farthest wall away from the noise while Master Vernon readied a shotgun. Girl stood behind the arm of the sofa Dudley had been sleeping on and in front of Dudley, prepared to act as some kind of shield if needed.

After several rounds of hitting the door, the entrance finally gave way and the massive panel of wood fell to the dusty floor. In came a massive man, even larger than Master Vernon in respect to height and there was a moment of quiet.

“Sorry about that,” said the giant and with a single hand, picked the door off the ground and placed it back against its frame.

“I demand that you leave at once, Sir! You are breaking and entering!”

Girl watched as the giant, completely unbothered to her master’s orders, walked over to him and then bent the barrel of the gun upwards. “Dry up, Dursely, you great prune!”

Master Vernon must have accidentally hit the trigger on the gun as it went off, making a great hole in the ceiling. Madame Petunia and Young Master Dudley whimpered at the sound and the invaded turned his attention toward the children in the room.

“I haven’t seen you since you were a baby, Harry! Though you’re a lot smaller than I thought you’d be.” He was smiling pleased as punch while Girl stared at him confused, glancing at her masters before turning her eyes back at him. Who was this Harry? “I think you’ve made a mistake, Sir,” she said.

He laughed at that. “Oh I doubt that!” he exclaimed. “Hardly going to confuse you with anyone else! Even if I didn’t remember you when you was just a baby, I’d know that scar just bout anywhere!” He motioned his finger towards her forehead and Girl moved her hand where the lightning bolt shaped resided. The giant pulled out a box wrapped in a string. “Here! I got you something! It’s a little squished where I might have sat on it, but I imagine it tastes just the same!” He handed her the container and she opened it. Inside was a cake with some writing on top but since she had no idea how to read, she did not know what it said.

Surprised at being given something, she could barely get the words thank you out. He seemed even more pleased at that, saying how it’s not everyday you turn eleven. Girl’s pleased feeling ended when she realised this person was still under the impression she was this Harry person.

“I can’t accept this,” she stated. The giant stared at her and almost looked heart broken. “It’s lovely,” it truly was a pretty cake, “but I’m afraid you are confused. My name isn’t Harry.”

“Why d’you say that? Obviously that’s your name! You’re Harriet Potter.”

“I don’t have a name. I have a title and it’s Girl.” She was growing irritated and the lack of sleep didn’t help her mental state.

“You what?!” the giant roared. Girl stepped backwards a touch while Dudley ran over to his parents. The giant turned to look at Master Vernon, Madame Petunia protectively trying to get Dudley behind them. “What in blazes is she going on about? What have you lot been telling her?”

“Nothing she didn’t need to know,” Vernon snapped back, his face growing red with anger. Madame Petunia looked quite ill.

The giant of a man turned back to look at Girl before sitting himself down on the sofa in front of the fire. “I don’t know what they’ve been filling your head with, Harry, but you do have a name. Like I said it’s Harriet Lillian Potter. And I’m Rubeus Hagird, Keeper of the Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. Course you’ll know all about Hogwarts!”

This man was insane.

“I’ve never heard of such a place,” she informed him. “Obviously it wasn’t necessary to know about it.”

Hagrid laughed as if she’d said something funny. “Not necessary? Blimey, Harry! You say the funniest things! Of course it was necessary. Where do you think your parents learned it all?”

Oh lord. Was that where they’d become drunken drugged up losers who sold their only child off?

“I didn’t realize there were places that taught those sorts of things. Why does such a place exist to do that to people?”

“Well where else would people go to properly learn about magic? What better way than school?”

Girl’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. Magic?! Was he honestly saying magic was real? This man was full on mental and they were going to die. He brought something out of his pocket and handed it to her. She recognized it as one of those same little envelopes that had been the cause of the Durley’s distress. “Here you go! This should explain somethings.”

Girl looked down at the offering, glaring at it before looking at Hagrid. “What is that?”

“It’s your acceptance letter.” He sounded pleased as punch again though he looked confused at why she was so angry.

“Acceptance letter?”

“Blimey, Harry, you aren’t really in the know are you?” he sounded exasperated and Girl grew more irritated. “Every Wizard and Witch in Britian gets one when they come of age! It’s a right of passage. Go on, read it.”

Read it. As if she had the ability to read and understand written words. Didn’t this… Hagrid have any idea what she was? How she was a discarded unwanted child who had never stepped foot into school or had any kind of education outside what was needed to take care of the people who’d paid for her?! Forget irritated. Now she was mad. Who was this person coming in here after chasing her and the Dursleys out of their home, trying to give her a cake and acting like he was all friendly?! Who the hell did he think he was?!

“Leave.”

“What?”

“I said leave!” She shoved the boxed cake in her hands towards him, her face red. Hagrid looked even more confused and a little bit heart broken. “I don’t know who you are or what people you represent, but you need to go away and leave us alone! I have no intention of listening to you anymore nor do I wish to attend some school where people learn freakish things and end up becoming drunken refuse of society! I’m perfectly content where I am and have no intent of going anywhere! So you can take your cake and your letter and get out!”

“Now, Harry-”

“Stop calling me Harry! I do not have a name and even if I did, I wouldn’t answer to Harry as it is a boy’s name and clearly I am a girl! Which I will repeat myself is my title as I have no name! I don’t have a birthday and I don’t have parents!”

She was on the verge of throwing a tantrum and though Hagrid tried he couldn’t figure out how to calm her down. Plus things she was saying were so ridiculous he couldn’t believe it. What was she talking about drunken refuse and freakish things? He looked at Vernon. “What have you muggles been teaching her?”

“No! You don’t get to talk to them anymore! You and your people have done enough for one day! You’ve harassed them out of their home, caused them to have to leave like some weird refugees, and then ruined a perfectly good door to come in here and try intimidate them! You act as if you know me, trying to bribe me with a cake, and telling me I’m to go to a school I’ve never heard of to learn something ridiculous like magic when I don’t need to go to school! Well I don’t know you! I have never met you or anyone like you before! And frankly even if I did, I no longer care to! I don’t want anything to do with you or this Hogwarts or magic! Get out!”

He finally did, mumbling something about some man name Dumbledore would hear about this as he left but Girl didn’t really listen too much as she was finally thoroughly exhausted from being so angry and the stress off everything no longer being controlled. She hoped passing out didn’t cause any more stress on the Master family. They’d had enough to deal with as it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to figure out what's going to happen next since Hagrid failed. Somebody is going to have to come try and explain things but who? Will they even be successful is another question. Ultimately Girl will go to Hogwarts but I think we can all agree just getting her to even listen, go get supplies, and getting to the school is going to be a problem.


	4. Chapter 4

It is a week later when a woman dressed in a funny outfit weilding a soft Scottish brogue comes calling to the Dursely’s front door. After Hagrid had left, Master Vernon declared they should return to Privet Drive since obviously the freaks could find them and no amount of running would work.

Her punishments had been harsher for any failures to perform her duties properly, but Girl could understand why. Thanks to whoever these freakish people were, her masters were even more stressed and she must take the brunt of it.

The woman who introduced herself as Professor McGonagall may not have been jovial as Hagrid had been but she was just as insistent she seemed to know Girl. She hadn’t brought Girl a cake like Hagrid had but a book which she claimed was titled Hogwarts: A History.

Apparently this woman was under the impression Girl could read just as the giant had been.

She also was apparently under the impression Girl believed in magic and that she had had parents who loved her, once again trying to convince her that she knew her so very well.

The visit ended the same way as it had with Hagrid but McGonagall even more upset and looking as if she wanted to cry.

Girl felt no sympathy for the woman. Why should she? She herself proclaimed that she’d watched as Girl was left in the care of her quote unquote relatives. Girl had scoffed audibly at that and then tore the older woman a new one, explaining how they were not her relatives. She didn’t have a family. She had people who sponsored her and gave her a roof over her head and in exchange for their protection she cared for them.  Fool woman seemed to think she meant cared in the affectionate way and not its true form.

After the house was rid of the irritating woman’s presence, Master Vernon made the announcement that should another one of those freaks step foot in his house, GIrl was to leave and never come back. It wasn’t good for Dudley to be constantly exposed to those people. The Dursley’s didn’t need all this strangeness and nonsense. It was insulting to them. They’d put up with her episodes for all these years and tried to discipline it out of her but hadn’t been able to and they were just done with it. Wasn’t worth it even with the free help.

Girl spends the days in terror at the idea of being let go to fend for herself. She’d always been afraid it would happen but before she had been able to make sure her behavior wasn’t a factor.

Now these… wizards and witches were coming along and destroying whatever piece of safety she’d had! Even if they spoke a measure of truth about parents who loved her (which there was little proof of at all) their actions now made it impossible for her to take them seriously. According to McGonagall they’d left her on the front door step with a note. If that was the case she would have been out there all night waiting for someone to just come across her. At least the Dursely’s explanation made sense and she’d been sold off and Madame Petunia had held her in her arms while Master Vernon gave them a lump sum and cash with a bottle of booze as payment. Did they honestly think she’d give in to their demands after hearing that? That she would willingly go to school - somewhere she had never previously been no hd the proper skills to attend? They did not know her. They didn’t know anything about her. And she dreaded another one of them popping up.

Girl had never hated anyone before. Now she was certain she was beginning to grasp the concept of the term.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah. That went well. I have to figure out something big because so far with this next chapter, every bit I write has her losing control and becoming an Obscurial. If you don't know what that is, look it up because it's very interesting. I don't want Girl to become one because I have an idea for another fic that works with the idea and a: I don't know how to come bouncing back from an Obscurial and b: I don't want to mirror the same type of idea in multiple fics because ya'll would get bored even though it was a different take on the same subject. Also a lot of these characters may end up feeling OOC so I beg your forgiveness if they don't feel right.  
> As always I welcome your thoughts and ideas.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to give a shout out to ArkonWarlock for their helpful comments. As well as the rest of you. You're beautiful.

It is not one but two magical individuals who appear on the Dursely’s front step a week later. Madame Petunia knows one of them and he seems to know her. Somehow. Girl takes note of the sneer as he calls her Tuney and pushes his way into the foyer, the unknown woman behind him.

It’s a good thing the weather has been pleasant, Girl thinks, so that she won’t get caught out in the rain when she’s being forced to sleep in the bushes at a park.

The man is tall with black hair and dark eyes; the woman is older than Madame Petunia with grey hair. She wears a red dress and he black slacks with a black button up shirt. They are far more practically dressed than McGonagall and Girl gives them points for that despite they have made it so she will be homeless once they leave.

“We’re here to speak with Potter, Tuney,” the man says with distinct. He definitely does not wish to be here any more than Girl wants any of them. It is a vast difference from how the two previous visitors. “Believe me, I’d prefer to be anywhere else.”

Madame Petunia is fuming but then gets a rather smug smile. Girl knows why this is. Girl is being removed from the premises and the visitors don’t realize that once they’ve talked with her, she’s to go away and find some place new to live. Two birds, one stone.

“Girl! Take these people outside! You know the rules.”

“Yes, Madame Petunia.”

The man’s face turns a bit sour at Girl’s words while the child leads them outside. The door slams closed behind them. Older woman is quiet as they all gather onto the sidewalk.

“Now , Potter, we don’t have all day so let-”

“Stop calling me that.”

His black eyes flare anger but Girl is not going to be intimidated.

“And what should we call you?” the older woman questions. GIrl looks at her.

“Girl. That is my title.”

The older woman inhales sharply while the man titles his head. “Explain yourself, Potter.”

Girl scowls at him. “Do none of you get the message?” she demands. “I am not a Potter. I am not a Harriet. I do not have a name.”

“Every child has a name,” he counters. “Especially the savior of the Wizarding World.” He says this with a sort of sarcastic contempt.

“Well congratulations to whomever that was,” Girl responds. “I’m certain he lives a very lovely life. However a Discarded Child like myself does not have a name. We are not worthy of a name.”

“Not-?” Both adultes stare at her and she doesn’t know what the looks mean. Is it horror? Some of it might be horror. Girl turns around and starts to walk away. She needs to get as far away from Privet Drive as she can. The sounds of footsteps follow her and the woman speaks up.

“What do you mean when you say a Discarded Child, little one?”

She glances at the woman over her shoulder as they walk onward. “It’s the proper term for a child who has been abandoned by the people who birthed them. They are even lower than orphans because orphans are given to the state and the government pay for their upkeep. A Discarded Child is bought and paid for. Master Vernon and Madame Petunia gave my parents 100 pounds and a bottle of top shelf whiskey in exchange for me before they died.”

“And you know this how?”

Girl shrugs. “The Dursley’s were kind enough to tell me this repeatedly while I’ve lived with them. They made sure to consistently keep me in my place.”

She doesn’t see how they are reacting to her words and neither does she care. She also doesn’t see the woman has brought out a thing of parchment or cast a spell on her. Or notice the words being written by an invisible source onto the pages. Girl is too focused on walking ahead.

“How did they keep you in your place?”

“Disciplining me when I would behave poorly or lack in my duties. Or when I would show freakish behaviors.”

“And how did they… discipline you?”

Girl stopped and glanced back at the pair still following her. “Properly. As ordained by their station and rights as my masters,” she stated firmly.

The man looks ready to kill someone.

“Are we going somewhere in particular, Ha-I mean Girl?” the woman inquires. “Is there a park you like to visit close by?”

“I have no idea. I do not leave the house but very very rarely and I’ve never gone farther than the back garden. I don’t know where you’ll go when this meeting is done but I need to find somewhere I can live now that you’ve all appeared.”

“As if we’d actually believe that,” the hooked nose man murmurs. GIrl turns around and looks at him, her eyes flashing in anger.

“Master Vernon decreed that should another freakish person show up and enter the house, I am to leave and never return. His word is law! You people with your constant harassment have made it impossible for my masters to function normally and because of those letters and the visits, I am not worth the trouble of having under their roof!” She is shouting at them now, her calm gone at the accusation she was lying. A rumble in the sky is heard and she looks at it with a sigh. Of course rain might happen. Why not more problems?

“Is there someone we can contact? From school perhaps?” the woman in red questions.

“I’ve never been to school.”

They look at her as if she’s grown a second head.

“Explain,” the man snaps. Girl looks at him like he’s an idiot, because he still doesn’t seem to understand how this works.

“There’s no record of my birth and no identifying papers showing who I am. Therefore I was never allowed to attend school. Not that it mattered since I’m too ignorant to warrant an education. I was not born to learn but to serve.”

Something flickers across the woman’s face. A kind of realization dancing among anger.

“You cannot read. Can you, Girl?” the woman asks with a  touch of something. Pity? Sorrow?

Girl confirms this with a shake of her head, ignoring the woman's feelings. “It wasn’t necessary. I only needed to memorize and make sure I could identify things by sight and smell.”

Energy ripples in the air and the man turns on his heel and stomps back towards Number Four. The woman follows after him calling out “Severus!” while Girl turns back in the direction she was walking. She has to find shelter and hopefully she can find some kind of food as well. Last night she hadn’t been able to eat because she hadn’t finished polishing the silver in time and her stomach hurts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Albus Dumbledore was going to show up and there was no good way I could get this thing out. It was horrible. I couldn't work with it. Either she turned into an Obscurial or Dumbledore ended up putting her into a Full Body Bind curse and I couldn't figure out where to go after that. In the end it was ya'll who suggested Snape as well as ArkonWarlock suggesting Pomfrey that helped get this chapter out. I'm not familiar with how Pomfrey acts too often (I seriously gotta go watch the films again) and my characters are gonna be more than a little OOC but I thank ya'll for sticking with me during this.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear to God we will get to Hogwarts. It just might take a bit. Have an update.

Girl does not know what to do.

It is a jarring and unpleasant thing, being without a home. Being without a known source of food. She found a park with a playground a few blocks far from Privet Drive and the stress of everything seemed to catch up with her. An empty swing serves as a chair and she goes back and forth on it very softly as her young mind tries to figure out what she should do.

Ultimately she comes to no solution other than stay at the park. She was certain if she was clever and not an ignorant Discarded Child, she could think of something. Then again: if she were clever and not an ignorant Discarded Child, Girl would not be in this mess at all, would she?

She thinks about her former masters. Will they be alright? Of course they will. She is quick to answer that. It’s ridiculous to think otherwise. They were fine without her and will get along perfectly well without her now. More so since the freakish people will no longer come to harass them with her gone.

She misses her cupboard under the stairs. It was small like she was and even when she was forced to stay inside, it was still her place. All her own space.

Now she has no place.

She has no cot to lie upon when it grows dark, no threadbare blanket to help keep her warm from the growing early chill. She is grateful for the large clothes than have hanged off her even more despite they offer little in the way of protection.

The thunder from earlier was a portent of rain and she scrambles under a picnic table when the drops come. There are no trees to take shelter beneath and though water drips in between the planks of wood, it is better than nothing. Her stomach ache from earlier grows and cramps and she curls up on the harsh ground in the fetal position to give herself any protection she can.

Over the storm she swears she hears someone shout for Potter and the anger makes her feel warm again.

The cold rain makes puddles and puddles become mud. She shivers but cannot move or else she will lose the little warmth she has.

The voice shouts for Harriet and it is louder now.

She still does not answer for it is not her place to answer to a name. Even if that name is the one people have been trying to thrust on her.

It is so cold and wet.

She slips into unconsciousness as splashes of footsteps in the mud can be heard close by.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have gone and edited this chapter a bit after receiving some feedback. It's not been too dramatic a change but it is different from the original post and thus if you have read it before, you'll notice a difference. Don't worry. It was just a break in the narrative. Nothing that you'll miss out on.

Girl had never been sick before.

It was something she certainly did not recommend to anyone if they were to ask.

Although the bed she’d been put in was comfortable. Madame Pomfrey (the woman from earlier in the red dress) was very fussy but not too fussy like Madame Petunia would have been if Girl had been a sick Young Master Dudley.

She had to stop calling them Young Master and Master and Madame, she reminded herself. They were no longer in a position of power over her and had discarded her from the service. A doubly Discarded Child, Girl was. She must be quite the laughing stock.

The hook nosed man had apparently been the one to collect her beneath the bench in the park. Girl learned his name was Severus Snape and he was one of the professors at Hogwarts. That was the school that the letters had apparently spoken of, where the people said to be her parents had attended. It was where she was currently residing at, lying in the Hospital Wing.

She’d gotten afflicted with something called pneumonia made worse by malnutrition. It meant she had to drink lots of fluids and eat light things and ingest lots of potions which tasted bad but Girl never complained since it would be a sign of ungratefulness. And despite the fact these people were responsible for her predicament, they were showing signs of taking responsibility for her. So Girl decided she did not wish to exacerbate the situation any more and thus stayed quiet.

It was a few days after waking up she was visited by a man called Albus Dumbledore, who was Headmaster of Hogwarts and looked like Father Time wearing flashy robes.

Girl found that despite his twinkling eyes and his attempts to be friendly, she did not like him. He called her Harriet and tried to explain how she had to go back to the Dursley’s once she was better and her school supplies were bought. How “her family’s home” was the safest place for her. He even tried to scold her for leaving Privet Drive.

Girl ended up making quite the mess without lifting a finger by the end of the man’s visit with what Madame Pomfrey called accidental magic. Her throat and lungs hurt from shouting at the old man as well and she was forced to sleep for a while via potion. Madame Pomfrey got upset but she insisted it wasn’t at Girl.

Girl hoped she never had to speak to Albus Dumbledore again.

She liked Madame Pomfrey though. Madame Pomfrey was kind. She also didn’t call Girl Harriet or Harry like most everyone else. She was smart and understood Girl would only answer to the title of Girl. Madame Pomfrey asked her questions about her life and made notes about what Girl said. Girl honestly didn’t mind it when Madame Pomfrey wrote things down. She was a healer and healers had to make lots of notes.

Professor Snape stopped calling her Potter as well. It was very difficult for him to do so for a while but he eventually called her Girl as well. Although Girl noted he didn’t really enjoy calling her by her title. It made him uncomfortable. Or maybe it was being in her presence that made him uneasy. Girl would catch him looking at her almost studying her when he thought she wasn’t looking. He seemed very… sad. He never lingered around for long regardless so Girl pushed the matter out of her mind.

Then a very odd thing happened.

One day Professor Snape came and said he needed permission to look inside Girl’s mind. She blinked at him very confused. Were they going to perform some kind of surgery?

Snape after a sigh explained what he meant. He was going to do something called Legilimency, which meant he was going to use magic to peruse inside her brain and see her memories.  He told her the reason for this was because they (though he didn’t say who they were) needed information on her life that they could not obtain otherwise.

“You’re adults,” Girl stated. “And I’m a Discarded Child. You don’t need my permission to do anything to me.”

Snape snarled like a wild animal as he grabbed her by the shoulders. “Do not call yourself that ever again!” he ordered. Girl shrunk a little in response to how angry he was. She flashed to the times Master Vernon become similarly upset which led to painful discipline sessions. “I’m sorry,” she squeaked. The man quickly removed his hands off her, looking even more pale as he stared at her. He stepped back and took a few moments to collect himself.

The air in the Hospital Wing was tense before Professor Snape continued his explanation on how Legilimency worked and what Girl might feel while it was being cast on her.

She was quiet and only nodded.

 

What Professor Snape had stated would be a quick event ended up taking far longer than was anticipated. It turns out Girl has very strong walls in her mind. Much too much strong walls in her mind, he claims.

“It would appear, Girl, you are a natural Occlumens.”

Girl looks at him, once again not knowing what the words mean. He tells her how Occlumency is the ability to combat Legilimency. It helps a person control their emotions and protects their minds from being probed or attacked. It can be a very powerful ability.

Normal people would feel pride at knowing they’ve done something so rare. But Girl is not normal and can only think to apologize as this means Professor Snape’s job just got harder.

For a moment he looks at her in disbelief before he schools his features back into a mask of indifference.

“We will just have to try harder is all,” he says.

Girl nods in agreement. He _does_ want her consent, after all.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got a little bit of Snape to break up the regular narrative.

Severus Snape was angry.

This was not unusual. He had a lot of things to be angry about. Angry at his father who beat him and his mother during his childhood and into his early teens. Anger at James Potter and his fucking Marauders for their torment and bullying of him and other classmates. Anger at Albus Dumbledore for his own part at rewarding that bullying as well as how easily the man managed to play him like a god damned kazoo.

He had regrets as well but right now it was anger that fueled him.

No, anger was too mild a term. 

Rage was more of an apt title for what he was feeling.

Dumbledore had asked him to collect Harriet’s memories so they could get to the truth of the matter. The old man hadn’t believed the tales his staff had told to him. Wouldn’t or maybe couldn’t accept what the report Poppy gave him from the diagnostic spell she had cast that day when Snape and she had gone to see the girl.

His belief that nothing was actually wrong seemed to have been shaken after his visit to the hospital wing and meeting Harriet face to face.

So in order to get a firm grasp on what the full situation at hand was, Dumbledore ordered Severus to collect Harriet’s memories. With only a slight bit of hesitation, Severus agreed to the task. He had no intention of just collecting the memories like Albus intended though. No. Siphoning memories made them duller for the owner. They tended to lose clarity and their natural  vibrant emotional evocation once taken from the owner’s mind. If something happened to the primarily removed memories, it would be harder to access and gather the recollections in question from the owner until there was nothing left but muted wisps. Faded and useless.

Obtaining the memories through legilimency however…

Well, Severus was a Slytherin after all. They were known for being cunning.

It hadn’t been as easy a job as one expected though. No, life did like to throw a wrench into the most simple seeming tasks given to him.

Whatever Harriet Potter had endured at the hands of her _ family _ (and by god how that term now tasted like ash and blood even in his thoughts now) the girl at age eleven had mastered Occlumency with walls strong enough even the fucking Dark Lord would have had trouble breaking into them. It was disturbing. No child’s mind should be that closed off. That fully protected from prying forces. But her’s had been and that raised more than a few red flags for Severus.

It explained why she spoke so differently from other children. How she seemed to be detached when telling her treatment by the Dursley’s. How in control of her emotions she was - even if she did have moments where she lost control because of mounted frustration.

After several sessions, he managed to find a way to get past those walls. To say it was difficult was an understatement. If he had wanted to get inside and try and find the memories, they had to get her to bring one out. Once it was there, they’d construct a door to gain entrance to where more memories were.

They had to make a new door each time because the door they would make during a session would disappear after Severus would end the session. They found they also needed to have her draw up a different memory from the one that had given them opportunity to build the previous door because the blasted child’s brain refused to grant them access with the same memory.

On top of these taxing sessions, the new school year was fast approaching. Luckily he had his lesson plans down and there was very little he needed to change. Albus had graciously exempted him from chaperoning duties and he did not have to be part of the Muggle Born introductions to Diagon Alley and school supply shopping in exchange for gathering Harriet’s memories. Snape had a moment where he thought Dumbledore was going to have to perform Legilimency on him to see just how powerful Harriet’s walls of protection were but luck was on his side for that.

Finally, finally he had managed to gather enough memories from Miss Potter’s mind to get a full on grasp on her life to this point. And thus we return to the part where Severus Snape was filled with rage.

The Dursley family had managed to take a sweet innocent girl and strip her of her sense of self. No. Not strip her of it. They’d managed to prevent it from ever taking root. She was a thing; a tool for their use and enjoyment. The only abuse she hadn’t suffered from was sexual; not that that brought any comfort to Severus.

Through her memories, he confirmed everything she had told them. No schooling. No ability to read or write. She could count to a point but she had no idea what numbers visibly looked like. She’d been kept as ignorant as possible and molded into a perfect little slave whose only job was to obey Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley Dursley’s orders.

Severus had many times questioned what Albus Dumbledore had been thinking when he did things for what he called the Greater Good. Now, after collecting all the memories he needed to show Albus Harriet’s life up to this point, Severus wondered if his stubborn and self-assuredness would last after he witnessed the vials’ contents.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone is wondering Dumbledore's reaction to witnessing the memories?  
> “Severus, My Boy, I believe i have made a grievous error in judgement.”  
> Also, yes, Snape calls her Harriet when in his head because calling her Girl makes his stomach twist.


	9. Chapter 9

Over the course of the next few months, many things happened to Girl.

A week after Professor Snape had gathered memories from her, Headmaster Dumbledore paid her another visit. He apologized to her for multiple things, not just how he’d treated her so light handed when they first met but also for leaving her unchecked in the Dursley’s care for so long. “I had been the one to place you in their care,” he stated. “I thought given how you were… related to one another, any ill feelings Petunia had for magic could have been overcome because she was a mother and you were the now orphaned daughter of her sister. I now know that it was merely wishful thinking and that prejudices so deeply entrenched can not be easily overcome.”

Girl just stared at him.

He continued his speech; speaking about blood wards and sacrifices and an evil man named Voldemort that everyone called You-Know-Who. How she had survived the Killing Curse and defeated Voldemort. Girl thought that sounded quite silly as a baby defeating such a powerful wizard didn’t make much sense.

“Love is a powerful force, my dear,” Dumbledore said, holding a cup of tea in his hands. The visit had lasted long enough a nice pot shared between them was necessary. She wouldn’t have had any but he was insistent she partake so she conceded. “And making such a selfless sacrifice as your own life to protect people you love creates a powerful counter curse. One that can defeat the most darkest of magicks. Though your scar is proof that one does not walk away unscathed.”

“Not that I believe everything you are saying, Sir, but I suppose given how magic is real that this mark on me shows some support of your words.” Girl sipped her drink slowly. She looked at the old man across from her. “You say you have seen my memories of growing up in my masters… former masters’ home. You are now more able to understand that it is hard if not almost impossible for me to believe that they were related to me and the things they told me were false?”

“I do. And once again, I can only apologize for my fault in that. It is through my inaction that you have grown up without a sense of personhood. You were removed from the world and weren’t given the rights you should have. You don’t even recognize the name you were born with as your own.”

Girl once again silently looked at him.

“One day I hope you will be able to answer to Harriet Lilian Potter, Girl,” the Headmaster said. “That you will be able to feel pride in the name you were given as well as the people who you should have been able to call your parents. That you will know how special you truly are. You’ve got a very large destiny ahead of you, Girl. I will try to shoulder the burden until you are ready to handle it yourself.”

Girl doesn’t know how to feel about that.

The next change came in the form of a shopping trip for clothes and supplies for her education. The need for clothes she understands but buying supplies for her learning makes her feel confused. Luckily the person who is accompanying her, Professor Sprout, is very nice and explains things to her. Girl’s situation is unique and as such she will not be attending Hogwarts as a student for the first year this year. Instead she will be a permanent ward of the school and learn basic education this year and then next year (should everything go as planned) she will then attend Hogwarts as an official first year student.

“Will that not cause problems for me to be a year older than the other children?” she asks. She knows from listening to tales of Dudley’s schooling in the Dursley house, being older and kept back can make one a target of ridicule. Girl does not think she can bear it if an entire school takes pleasure in mocking her. It would be quite difficult to hide from a whole plethora of children.

“Don’t you worry about that, Little Miss,” Professor Sprout assures her, patting her hand softly. “We’ll take care of it. It won’t be a problem for a whole year at least! You just concentrate on learning everything you can. All the teachers are aware that you’ve had some… set backs but we’re behind you.”

Set backs. That was certainly one way to title the whole affair.

Because she wasn’t a student yet, Girl wasn’t required to buy robes for the school year. She would continue wearing normal clothes but given how she wasn’t going to have much interaction with the attendee population this wasn’t expected to cause a problem in case others asked questions. Girl had a feeling Dumbledore was making quite a few exceptions for her. She didn’t know if she should be flattered or irritated.

She was given her own quarters to live in as well. Once again, because she was a ward of the school and not a member of the student body yet, she could not join a House therefore she could not sleep in the dorms. It was near Mr. Filch’s (the caretaker of the castle) lodgings and he had a cat called Mrs. Norris.

Girl liked Mrs. Norris and Mr. Filch. Mr. Filch seemed quite grumpy and sour but given how it was just him being the primary caretaker of an entire castle…Well, how could one not be grumpy and terse when one was tasked with such a big job? Mrs. Norris was loyal to Mr. Filch and helped him keep an eye out for trouble makers.

When she didn’t have much to do after her lessons, Girl would drop by Filch’s office and see if he needed any help with anything. She remembered how tiring taking care of the Dursley’s and their household was. No one had given her any sort of comfort throughout her employment. Now she was in the position to provide it for someone whose job was quite similar to the one she’d held and if she could give a little comfort? Well it made her happy so perhaps she was selfish.

“Yer a strange one,” he told her one afternoon. “No normal student wants to hang around with an old man an’ do this.” He motioned with his broom at the floor he’d been sweeping.

“I’m not officially a student,” she reminded him as she polished one of the suits of armor in one of the many halls. “I’m too illiterate to attend the curriculum at the moment. And I like cleaning. It’s really all I’m good for despite what everyone tries to encourage me to think.”

“Yer the one they call Harry Potter,” he groused. “Savior of the wizarding world! Defeater of Dark Lords! Sure can think of better things and better futures than cleaning. You should be out playing with kids yer own age, doing fancy meet ups with politicians and the like.”

“I don’t know how to interact with children my own age as I’m still trying to wrap my head around how old I am. And I quite prefer quiet evenings with good company over loud gatherings and shaking strangers’ hands,” Girl remarked. “Too many people around me make me feel ill and dizzy. I think, should I grow up and have my choice, I would much prefer to live here at Hogwarts and help you take care of the castle. Have my own Mrs. Norris and I’ll patrol one half of the castle and you can patrol the other. That way you can have more times in the evening to have a cup of tea and listen to the wireless.”

Mr. Filch acted rather strange after she said that. He looked like he’d eaten a lemon but was really happy about it at the same time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Filch is a miserable old bat but I like it when he has friends because he's miserable because he's all alone. Honestly, I can't see Girl NOT bonding with him when she's been alone her whole young life being caretaker of ungrateful people and a whole house by herself.


	10. Chapter 10

The student body ignores her and for that Girl is grateful. They’re all concentrated on their social lives or studies. They don’t notice the one child who doesn’t wear a robe or sit at the tables in the Great Hall. She would say she’s like a ghost but there are actual ghosts at Hogwarts and people actually tend to notice them. No one notices her.

She often prefers it.

Her age group are usually quite noisy and loud and they make horrible messes. Now she wouldn’t mind the messes since those are natural to occur but the fact that a majority of them are so disrespectful and just leave their messes lying around makes Girl very cross.

It’s no wonder poor Argus is so grouchy!

And do _not_ get her started on what goes on in the library!

She finally gets enough aptitude to be cleared for reading some of the books in the library and she swears every table she either finds someone has left some kind of gum or similar gunk stuck beneath it, books carelessly just left out for Miss Pince to put away, or crumpled refuse just lying around.

Girl becomes slightly obsessed in keeping the library clean. After all, Hogwarts is her home and she is its ward. It would be disrespectful to not care for the place.

“What are you doing?”

Girl looked up in surprise at a male student who she identified as a Gryffindor via his red and gold tie. Fourth year, perhaps? He’s the first one to ever notice her enough to speak with her and he looks very confused and rather irritated to be honest. He has red hair that’s been done in a rather no nonsense style and looks to be a serious sort of person.

Oh. He asked her a question.

“Cleaning,” she responds simply.

“That’s Mr. Filch’s job. And you aren’t wearing a detention pinafore.”

The detention pinafore was a front covering protective piece first years would often wear over their uniforms when receiving detention. Since many times cleaning objects was used as punishment and first year students (especially the muggle born ones) might not know the protection or cleaning charms for the stains that would get on their uniform robes, they would be given the detention pinafore to wear over their robes to protect them from anything volatile.

“I happen to be doing this of my own volition because Mister Filch has an entire castle he has to manage,” Girl told the boy matter of fact. “And I cannot bring myself to read anything until my space is clean.”

He stared at her, his eyes looking at her clothes before looking up at her. “What’s your name?”

“Girl.”

“That’s not a name, that’s your gender.”

Girl fought the urge to roll her eyes. “It’s what I was called for a good portion of my life prior to coming to Hogwarts and it is what I answer to.”

“That sounds ridiculous. Which house are you in? You’re not wearing your robes. You’re supposed to wear them at all times.”

She supposes from an outsider’s view it might be ridiculous she has no name. But it is the truth and she will not lie. Discarded children, even former ones, mustn’t tell lies.

“I’m not a student. I’m a ward of Hogwarts so I don’t belong to a house. All of Hogwarts is my basically my house right now. I don’t have robes. Yet. I’ll have them next year if I’ve learned enough to qualify to attend.”

The young man was not very accepting of what she told him. The look on his face made that very clear. “Right,” he said with an air of self made authority. “Come with me.”

Her body moved to follow the order out of sheer reflex but she managed to rest control of her faculties enough to question where they were going.

“I’m taking you to my head of house, Professor McGonagall,” he informed her, “since you obviously can’t tell me anything that sounds believable.”

“It may sound unbelievable to your ears but she won’t tell you any different,” Girl assured him. “She’s perfectly aware of my situation. It made her quite upset when she first learned about it.”

It was quite obvious though he wasn't going to believe a word she said, so Girl kept her mouth shut until they were in front of Professor McGonagall.

The boy, whose last name was Weasely, explained the situation as he saw it to the Transfiguration's professor. He was definitely quite certain he'd been in the right; the way he was holding himself spoke to how much pride he'd had catching a student disobeying a myraid of infractions.

Girl had to hand it to him: he was quite precise and knowledgeable about the rules at least.

“Well thank you, Mister Weasely,” Professor McGonagall said, her face it's normal stern expression. “I'll take it from here.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

He bowed slightly before looking at Girl dismissively and then left. The door behind him closed and McGonagall looked at Girl, who just stared back at her.

“I'm sorry for taking up your busy time, Professor,” Girl apologized.

“It's alright, Har-Girl,” the woman quickly corrected herself although her lips twitched just like Professor Snape's would sometimes do as he said her title. “Mister Weasely is quite a stickler for the rules and making sure people stick to them. Quite the opposite of his brothers. So why were you cleaning in the library?”

“Because too many students are disrespectful to the library and I can't study in there unless I've cleaned up all the chewed gum and papers they keep leaving. Mister Filch has a whole castle to clean on his own and he doesn't possess magic so why shouldn't I help if I find a mess?”

“I'm sure Argus appreciates your assistance, Dear, but it's not your job. Argus does have the castle elves to help him. He also doesn't need you bothering him while he's working. I've noticed you tend to hang around him sometimes while he's on duty. You've still got quite a lot you're expected to be learning so your time is very much limited. The Headmaster hopes you'll be able to attend officially next year and that means you'll have to be on the same education level as your fellow attendees.”

“I understand, Professor.”

Her expression was blank but Girl felt tendrils of disappointment worming around inside. Had she really been bothering Mister Filch? He'd never outwardly complained or told her to stop or go away. He even had at times complimented her on her work after they were through sometimes.

Maybe Girl had been reading everything wrong.

Girl gave a nod and curtsy to McGonagall when she dismissed her. The old woman wishing her luck at the end of the week quizzes before Girl left the room and headed back to the library to try and get more studying done. She supposed she would focus totally on her education if that was what they wanted of her.

No more bothering Mister Filch and Mrs. Norris. She'd apologize to them of course this evening. She'd also need to make some kind of offer of reparation for overstepping her place. She wasn't looking forward to being punished after months of going without it but if that was what needed to happen than she would endure.

Girl realized now she'd forgotten her place after so much time of gentle and warm interactions with the people here. By taking initiative for the first time in her life and doing something she enjoyed; hanging around people while indulging in quiet pleasant evenings, she'd let herself forget she was a Discarded Child.

She wouldn't let herself forget again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So where do I begin? I lost my place to live. I found a new place in a more rural area where the power goes out every so often and I don't have reliable net right now. Been really stressed with everything. Just all sorts of stuff just exploded and I'm trying to recuperate. The place we moved to also has zero places that deliver food. And Postmates is full of shit. At least we have a washer & dryer now.


	11. Chapter 11

It's almost funny how quickly a good day could devolve into a bad one, Dumbledore noted as he sat in his office with Professor Snape, Argus Filch with Mrs Norris at his feet, and Harriet Potter. Or as they all had to call her in order for her to respond: Girl.

He inwardly winced at this. In all these months they still could not get her to accept or even acknowledge her own name, the years of conditioning and abuse by her relatives was hard to maneuver past. But it had appeared that she was becoming at least amenable to someone “accidentally” slipping in Harriet or Harry when addressing her.

He'd hoped interactions with the staff as well as her finally becoming educated would give help provide her with a the base to start healing and becoming or at least act like a normal child. Another mistake in judgment to add to the list.

He only could thank Merlin he'd had the forethought to not only have the portraits help him monitor Harriet's actions but also enlisted the assistance of the Hogwarts Elves to ensure she got regular meals. As she was not a student yet, she could not take meals in the Great Hall among the populace. Which also helped him as this also lessened the attention she would have garnered by various individuals greatly.

He honestly did not look forward to next year when they would have no choice but to let the public know she was attending and exposing her to the world.

Snape cleared his throat and Albus inwardly shook himself. He'd gotten off track. His eyes looked down at his desk where a letter Harriet had sent to Argus Filch lay. When Argus had come to him upset about it, he honestly had no idea what to think. It wasn't until the portraits reported Harriet had not left her apartments for 3 days and the House Elves confirmed she had not eaten any of the meals provided for her during that time that he grew extremely concerned.

Given her history, these events could not easily be written off and needed to be seen to. He could ill afford to just sit back in this regard after years of inaction.

However how was he supposed to handle this?

“Harriet.”

The usage of her name brought no response. The child in front of him just stoically sat in her seat, eerily still. Months of work trying to get her to subconsciously associate her and the name she was born with gone. Trying again did not help either.

“Girl.”

Green eyes looked at the Headmaster and he held in a sigh. “Some things have been brought to my attention and I was hoping you could help me clear them up.”

She nodded.

“Argus received this letter supposedly penned by you mentioning how you apologized for interfering with his job and rudely invading his personal time.” He held up the parchment in question so she could look at it. Despite saying it was supposedly written by her, the penmanship left little room to doubt it was hers.

“Yes, Sir.”

“It also says you expect him to assign punishment for your infraction of his choosing as well as any other compensation for your offense.”

She nodded in affirmation, her face blank possibly due to her naturally over powered occulamency. Dumbledore folded the letter and placed it back on his desk, his saddened expression genuine. “The elves have informed me that you have not eaten in the last three days as well. May I ask why?”

“It's part of the standard procedure for my punishments, Sir. Although I do need to ask: is staying in the room I was provided sufficient space to take my penance or should I find a closet to pass the time in until I have made amends?”

He stared at her, hoping his own shields did not portray the small amount of disbelief and slight horror at her words. If it were anyone else and he had never looked at her memories, he would think this was some joke or prank. But Albus and Severus both knew she was serious.

Argus sputtered indignantly not believing he actually heard what he did but was kept silent by Albus' motioning him to calm down.

“Girl,” it always took so much to not say her birth name, “I do believe there has been a serious miscommunication somewhere. Argus. At any point did you feel as if Girl aka Miss Potter has done these things she accuses in her letter to you?”

“No! And I'd like to know who put it in her head that she was!”

Blue eyes turned back to Harriet who still looked blank faced. “See, My Girl? You've done nothing wrong. This all just a misunderstanding.” An elf delivered a small tray of sandwiches and tea to his desk and he motioned for her to take some. “Now, why don't you have something to eat? You mustn't miss meals, especially a growing young woman like you. Poppy says you're still underweight and the nutritional potions can only do so much.”

He watched her glance down at the plate and then look at him. “No, sir. I must decline. If what you say is true, than I have unduly caused Mister Filch emotional distress through my actions and must atone. Therefore until I have done so, I must continue to go without meals as per the rules.”

“I can assure you that by not taking care of yourself and eating, you will ensure Mister Filch is even more upset,” Albus stated, his tone conveying naught a hint of his true feelings. Months of work. Down the drain.

“Why would my adhering to the rules cause him problems, Sir?”

“Is she serious?!” Filch was livid with confusion and irritation. “Are you out of your mind?! I thought you were smarter than that!”

She looked at him with genuine confusion while Dumbledore used his most authoritative voice to get Filch to silence himself. He inhaled deeply to ready himself for the next few minutes. “Girl. _Harriet_. I realize up until recently you thought – no, you were told no one cared for you. That no one _could_ care for you. You were nothing and no one. You existed only to serve others and were less than human.” Out the corner of his eye he watched Filch go from fuming to horror as he spoke. “The truth is that people do and can care for you. That you are worthy of love and affection. This is why not just Argus but everyone here at Hogwarts are upset that you have not been eating your meals. Because we do care for you. You are worthy of it.”

Silence fell in a heavy blanket as Harriet seemed to process his words. “Does this mean I should no longer enact the punishment, Headmaster?” she asked slowly.

“No you should not,” he agreed. “And from now on, you will speak to me or Professor Snape or your eventual Head House before initiating any kind of punishment. The rules of conduct you were enforced to adhere to while living with your relatives or rather the ones you called masters are no longer to be obeyed.”

She nodded and with great hesitancy then took one of the halves of a sandwich from the tray and began to chew on it.

“Might I ask why you came to the conclusion that you had done something wrong, my girl?” Dumbledore asked after watching her for a few moments.

“I was in the library and became distracted by a mess I found while I was looking for a book. A student found me and took me to Professor MacGonagall. She stated Mister Filch did not need me hanging around him while he was working as he had the castle elves to assist him. She told me I must concentrate on getting to the same level of education as my peers by the time the next school year begins. I've been told you expect it of me, Sir. After my punishment was completed I was going to focus solely on my education.”

“Ah, education is important and we do hope you will get to an acceptable level in comparison with the other students when you join them,” he agreed. “But, Girl, one must not forget to take time for themselves and have fun.”

“I was having fun, Sir. Spending time with Mister Filch and Mrs Norris cleaning and listening to the wireless and having tea was fun for me,” she explained between bites. “However Professor MacGonagall seemed very insistent when she told me these things. And as I have no power of my own or a place to doubt what adults let alone adults in positions of authority tell me, I could only agree with her. I felt I was being selfish and forgot the truth.”

“What you have grown to believe is the truth, Harriet, is far from it and if anyone is to shoulder the blame for this, it is me.” He looked up at Filch. “Thank you for your help, Argus. Perhaps you and I can speak at another time?”

The caretaker was silent as he left, Mrs Norris taking a small detour to rub herself against Harriet before following her human out of the office.

Dumbledore then looked at Severus, who had been standing against the wall this whole time in silence. He was only moderately surprised the man had stayed after collecting and bringing Harriet to the meeting, given how he's made such a statement of how he had more important things to do than play errand boy. Harriet's whole situation was unnerving as it was, but Dumbledore had a feeling it unnerved Snape more than any of those who were in the know. Albus wonder which angle it was the Potion Master's mind focused on when he saw Miss Potter. The daughter of the woman he loved even in death all these years later or the spawn of his rival and proclaimed tormentor?

“Thank you for the sandwich, Headmaster.” Harriet's voice broke through his thoughts and Albus looked at the tray. Sure enough, she had finished one of them and drained her glass of juice. Had his thoughts been that deep? She still sat in her chair and he realized she probably was waiting to be dismissed. However there were still some things that needed speaking about. “I am glad we were able to fix the whole miscommunication incident. I hope you and Argus can continue this odd sort of friendship you had been building. I do believe he's been less surly since you two began spending time together.”

She made no response and he bit back a sigh. Months wasted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly couldn't figure out if this chapter is done. It doesn't feel done, like there was stuff I wanted to put in but I couldn't figure out how to add it and I jut basically threw my hands up in frustration and said, "Let it go!"
> 
> Thank you to everyone who is reading this still and for your lovely support and comments. They really help get my fingers to the keyboard keys.


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